Guest Speaker Chats

This week on #DiabetesChat our hosts Kes & Tony spoke to Ken and Helga. Both Ken and Helga live with Type 2 Diabetes.

We talked about their diagnosis stories and learnt about what is Type 2 Diabetes and their treatment pathways. We will talked about some of the research coming out from ATTD2024, type 2 education, stigmas, wishes for the future for type 2 care and mental health and peer support.

Ken Tait has been a type 2 diabetic since 1999. He is a qualified psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, executive coach and mentor. He specialises in emotional problems for people with long term conditions (LTC) and their carers e.g. diabetes, cancer, who suffer from stress, anxiety, or depression. He also organises and runs a type 2 diabetic peer support group in Bromley, Kent. main area now is diabetes advocacy. Helping people and companies understand what it is like to live with Diabetes. I help those with emotional problems and give talks on emotional problems that people with diabetes endure. I am also passionate about ending the stigma surrounding Diabetes especially those of us living with type 2.

Helga Nefdt is a diabetes advocate and wellbeing coach living in South Africa. She describes her “most empowering day” as the one she disclosed her type 2 diabetes diagnosis to others, having hidden it for many years. Since then, she’s not only found her voice for advocacy, but a community of support too. Helga has a special interest in T2D patient integrated support and education.